U.S. patent application number 16/367821 was filed with the patent office on 2019-07-18 for charging dock and charging assembly.
The applicant listed for this patent is SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Xiaokai GUO, Kenan LI, Tao ZHAO.
Application Number | 20190222033 16/367821 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59676336 |
Filed Date | 2019-07-18 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190222033 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ZHAO; Tao ; et al. |
July 18, 2019 |
CHARGING DOCK AND CHARGING ASSEMBLY
Abstract
A charging dock is provided. The charging dock includes: a main
body; a charging unit disposed with the main body; and a plurality
of cover plates. The charging unit includes a plurality of battery
sockets. Each cover plate corresponds to one of the plurality of
battery sockets. Each cover plate is movably connected to the main
body. And each cover plate is switchable between a closed
configuration covering the corresponding battery socket and an open
configuration exposing the corresponding battery socket. Further, a
charging assembly is provided. The charging assembly includes the
forgoing charging dock and a rechargeable battery configured to be
mounted on one of the plurality of cover plates in the open
configuration, and plugged into the corresponding battery
socket.
Inventors: |
ZHAO; Tao; (Shenzhen,
CN) ; LI; Kenan; (Shenzhen, CN) ; GUO;
Xiaokai; (Shenzhen, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. |
Shenzhen |
|
CN |
|
|
Family ID: |
59676336 |
Appl. No.: |
16/367821 |
Filed: |
March 28, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/CN2016/100888 |
Sep 29, 2016 |
|
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16367821 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02J 7/00 20130101; H02J
7/0013 20130101; H02J 7/0027 20130101; H02J 7/0045 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H02J 7/00 20060101
H02J007/00 |
Claims
1. A charging dock, comprising: a main body; a charging unit
disposed with the main body, the charging unit including a
plurality of battery sockets; and a plurality of cover plates, each
cover plate corresponding to one of the plurality of battery
sockets, wherein: each cover plate is movably connected to the main
body; and each cover plate is switchable between a closed
configuration covering the corresponding battery socket and an open
configuration exposing the corresponding battery socket.
2. The charging dock according to claim 1, wherein for each cover
plate: a first end of the cover plate is rotatably coupled to the
main body; and the cover plate is configured to carry a
corresponding rechargeable battery when the cover plate is in the
open configuration.
3. The charging dock according to claim 2, wherein: for each cover
plate, a bottom end of the cover plate is coupled to a bottom end
of the main body, and when the cover plate is in the open
configuration, the bottom end of the cover plate abuts against the
bottom end of the main body; and when the plurality of cover plates
are in the open configuration, the plurality of cover plates are
located on a same plane.
4. The charging dock according to claim 2, wherein the cover plate
includes an orienting member for guiding the corresponding
rechargeable battery when the corresponding rechargeable battery is
being mounted.
5. The charging dock according to claim 1, wherein for each cover
plate: the cover plate includes a groove; and when the cover plate
is in the closed configuration, the groove is configured to receive
the battery socket corresponding to the cover plate.
6. The charging dock according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of
cover plates are located around the main body.
7. The charging dock according to claim 6, wherein: the plurality
of cover plates are arranged in an annular array on an outer
surface of the main body; and the charging dock has a cylindrical
outer shape when the plurality of cover plates are in the closed
configuration.
8. The charging dock according to claim 6, wherein: the main body
has a plurality of receiving slots, each receiving slot
corresponding to one of the plurality of cover plates; and each
receiving slot is configured to receive the corresponding cover
plate when the corresponding cover plate is in the closed
configuration.
9. The charging dock according to claim 8, wherein for each
receiving slot: the receiving slot includes a bottom wall and two
sidewalls on two opposing sides of the bottom wall; and the bottom
wall has a through slot for the corresponding battery socket to
penetrate through.
10. The charging dock according to claim 1, wherein for each cover
plate: the charging dock further comprises a lock mechanism
corresponding to the cover plate; when the cover plate is in the
closed configuration, the lock mechanism is configured to lock the
cover plate to the main body; when the cover plate is in the open
configuration, the lock mechanism is configured to lock a
rechargeable battery corresponding to the cover plate; and the lock
mechanism includes one or more of: a hook mechanism, a latch
mechanism, and an electromagnetic attraction mechanism.
11. The charging dock according to claim 10, wherein for each cover
plate: the corresponding lock mechanism comprises a first hook; the
cover plate includes a second hook; and when the cover plate is
received in the main body, the second hook engages with the first
hook.
12. The charging dock according to claim 11, wherein the second
hook has a chamfer.
13. The charging dock according to claim 11, wherein for each cover
plate: the corresponding lock mechanism further comprises a
pressing member and a resilient member; the pressing member is
located on the main body and connected to the first hook; the
resilient member is connected between the pressing member and the
main body; when a pressing operation is applied to the pressing
member and the cover plate is in the closed configuration, the
first hook is separated from the second hook and the resilient
member is compressed; and and when the pressing operation is
withdrawn, the first hook is returned to an original position by
the resilient member.
14. The charging dock according to claim 13, wherein the resilient
member is a spring.
15. The charging dock according to claim 1, further comprising: a
mainboard; a connector; and a charging plate electrically connected
to the mainboard through the connector.
16. The charging dock according to claim 15, wherein: the connector
comprises a first metal ring and a second metal ring, the first
metal ring connected to a first end of the mainboard, and the
second metal ring connected to a second end of the mainboard; and
the charging plate is fixed and electrically connected between the
first metal ring and the second metal ring of the connector.
17. The charging dock according to claim 16, wherein: the charging
plate is one of a plurality of charging plates; and each of the
plurality of charging plate corresponds to one of the plurality of
battery sockets.
18. A charging assembly, comprising: a charging dock, the charging
dock including: a main body; a charging unit, the charging unit
including a plurality of battery sockets; and a plurality of cover
plates, each cover plate corresponding to one of the plurality of
battery sockets, wherein: each cover plate is movably connected to
the main body; and each cover plate is switchable between a closed
configuration covering the corresponding battery socket and an open
configuration exposing the corresponding battery socket; and a
rechargeable battery configured to be mounted on one of the
plurality of cover plates in the open configuration, and plugged
into the corresponding battery socket.
19. The charging assembly according to claim 18, wherein: the
rechargeable battery comprises a connecting member, and the
connecting member is configured to lock the rechargeable battery
with the charging dock when the rechargeable battery is mounted on
one of the plurality of cover plates.
20. The charging assembly according to claim 19, wherein: the
rechargeable battery further comprises a guiding member configured
to guide the rechargeable battery when the rechargeable battery is
being mounted on one of the plurality of cover plates.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation application of
International Application No. PCT/CN2016/100888, filed on Sep. 29,
2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to battery technologies and,
in particular, to a charging dock and a charging assembly.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Many electronic devices are equipped with rechargeable
batteries. Due to the capacity and battery life limit of
rechargeable batteries, it is sometimes necessary to use a
plurality of rechargeable batteries. It may be more efficient and
convenient to use a multi-charge battery charger to charge and
manage multiple rechargeable batteries than to use a general
charger. Many existing multi-charge battery chargers are flat in
design, and the rechargeable batteries are installed side by side
when charging. These chargers may be bulky in their sizes and not
conveniently portable. Further, it may take some effort for the
placement and retrieval of rechargeable batteries into and from
these chargers.
SUMMARY
[0004] In order to overcome some of the drawbacks of existing
multi-charge battery chargers, the present disclosure provides a
charging dock and assembly having a compact size for convenient
storage, and capable of charging a plurality of rechargeable
batteries. Accordingly, the technical solutions to solve the
technical problem of the present disclosure include the
followings.
[0005] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a charging dock is
provided. The charging dock includes: a main body; a charging unit
disposed with the main body; and a plurality of cover plates. The
charging unit includes a plurality of battery sockets. Each cover
plate corresponds to one of the plurality of battery sockets. Each
cover plate is movably connected to the main body. And each cover
plate is switchable between a closed configuration covering the
corresponding battery socket and an open configuration exposing the
corresponding battery socket.
[0006] In certain embodiments, for each cover plate, a first end of
the cover plate is rotatably coupled to the main body; and the
cover plate is configured to carry a corresponding rechargeable
battery when the cover plate is in the open configuration.
[0007] In certain embodiments, for each cover plate, a bottom end
of the cover plate is coupled to a bottom end of the main body;
when the cover plate is in the open configuration, the bottom end
of the cover plate abuts against the bottom end of the main body;
and when the plurality of cover plates are in the open
configuration, the plurality of cover plates are located on a same
plane.
[0008] In certain embodiments, for each cover plate, the cover
plate includes an orienting member for guiding the corresponding
rechargeable battery when the corresponding rechargeable battery is
being mounted.
[0009] In certain embodiments, for each cover plate, the cover
plate includes a groove; and when the cover plate is in the closed
configuration, the groove is configured to receive the battery
socket corresponding to the cover plate.
[0010] In certain embodiments, the plurality of cover plates are
located around the main body.
[0011] In certain embodiments, the plurality of cover plates are
arranged in an annular array on an outer surface of the main body;
and the charging dock has a cylindrical outer shape when the
plurality of cover plates are in the closed configuration.
[0012] In certain embodiments, the main body has a plurality of
receiving slots, each receiving slot corresponding to one of the
plurality of cover plates; and each receiving slot is configured to
receive the corresponding cover plate when the corresponding cover
plate is in the closed configuration.
[0013] In certain embodiments, for each receiving slot, the
receiving slot includes a bottom wall and two sidewalls on two
opposing sides of the bottom wall; and the bottom wall has a
through slot for the corresponding battery socket to penetrate
through.
[0014] In certain embodiments, for each cover plate, the charging
dock further includes a lock mechanism corresponding to the cover
plate. When the cover plate is in the closed configuration, the
lock mechanism is configured to lock the cover plate to the main
body. When the cover plate is in the open configuration, the lock
mechanism is configured to lock a rechargeable battery
corresponding to the cover plate. The lock mechanism includes one
or more of: a hook mechanism, a latch mechanism, and an
electromagnetic attraction mechanism.
[0015] In certain embodiments, for each cover plate, the
corresponding lock mechanism includes a first hook. The cover plate
includes a second hook. And when the cover plate is received in the
main body, the second hook engages with the first hook.
[0016] In certain embodiments, the second hook has a chamfer
feature.
[0017] In certain embodiments, for each cover plate, the
corresponding lock mechanism further comprises a pressing member
and a resilient member. The pressing member is located on the main
body and connected to the first hook. The resilient member is
connected between the pressing member and the main body. When a
pressing operation is applied to the pressing member and the cover
plate is in the closed configuration, the first hook is separated
from the second hook and the resilient member is compressed. When
the pressing operation is withdrawn, the first hook is returned to
an original position by the resilient member.
[0018] In certain embodiments, the resilient member is a
spring.
[0019] In certain embodiments, the charging dock further includes:
a mainboard; a connector; and a charging plate electrically
connected to the mainboard through the connector.
[0020] In certain embodiments, the connector includes a first metal
ring and a second metal ring. The first metal ring is connected to
a first end of the mainboard. The second metal ring is connected to
a second end of the mainboard. The charging plate is fixed and
electrically connected between the first metal ring and the second
metal ring of the connector.
[0021] In certain embodiments, the charging plate is one of a
plurality of charging plates. Each of the plurality of charging
plate corresponds to one of the plurality of battery sockets.
[0022] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a charging
assembly is provided. The charging assembly includes a charging
dock and a rechargeable battery. The charging dock includes: a main
body; a charging unit, the charging unit including a plurality of
battery sockets; and a plurality of cover plates. Each cover plate
corresponding to one of the plurality of battery sockets. Each
cover plate is movably connected to the main body. Each cover plate
is switchable between a closed configuration covering the
corresponding battery socket and an open configuration exposing the
corresponding battery socket. The rechargeable battery is
configured to be mounted on one of the plurality of cover plates in
the open configuration, and plugged into the corresponding battery
socket.
[0023] In certain embodiments, the rechargeable battery includes a
connecting member. The connecting member is configured to lock the
rechargeable battery with the charging dock when the rechargeable
battery is mounted on one of the plurality of cover plates.
[0024] Further, in certain embodiments, the rechargeable battery
further includes a guiding member configured to guide the
rechargeable battery when the rechargeable battery is being mounted
on one of the plurality of cover plates.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions
in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings used in
the description of the embodiments are briefly described below. It
is obvious that the drawings in the description are only some
embodiments of the present disclosure. Other drawings can also be
derived by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the
disclosed drawings without creative efforts.
[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a charging dock in a closed
configuration according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure;
[0027] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the charging dock shown in FIG. 1
in a closed configuration;
[0028] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the charging dock shown in
FIG. 1 having four rechargeable batteries installed;
[0029] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the charging dock shown in
FIG. 1 in an open configuration;
[0030] FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing a cover plate and
corresponding assembly structure of the charging dock shown in FIG.
4;
[0031] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a locking member of the
charging dock shown in FIG. 5;
[0032] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a cover plate of the
charging dock shown in FIG. 1 connecting with a corresponding
rechargeable battery;
[0033] FIG. 8 is another perspective view of the structure shown in
FIG. 7; and
[0034] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing internal structures of
the charging dock shown in FIG. 1.
[0035] The technical solutions will be further illustrated by the
following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0036] The technical solutions according to the embodiments of the
present disclosure are described in the following with reference to
the accompanying drawings. The described embodiments are only some
embodiments of the present disclosure. All other embodiments
derived by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the
described embodiments of the present disclosure without creative
efforts are within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0037] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as
being "fixed" to another component, it may be directly on the other
component or may be through an intermediate component. When a
component is considered to "connect" another component, it may be
directly connected to the other component or may be through an
intermediate component. When a component is considered to be
"installed" on another component, it may be directly installed on
the other component or may be through an intermediate component.
The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom" and the like
are used herein for the purpose of illustration only.
[0038] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms
used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of
ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The
technical terms used in the description of the present disclosure
are for the purpose of describing certain embodiments and are not
intended to limit the invention. The term "or/and" as used herein
includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated
listed items.
[0039] The present disclosure provides a charging dock for charging
rechargeable batteries. The charging dock may include a plurality
of cover plates. The cover plates may be switchable between a
closed configuration and an open configuration. When a cover plate
is in a closed configuration, the cover plate is locked to the
charging dock by a lock mechanism. When a cover plate is in an open
configuration, the cover plate may carry a rechargeable battery for
charging, and the lock mechanism may lock the rechargeable battery.
The charging dock may further include a charging assembly that
connects a plurality of charging plates with a connector to provide
electrical connections for simultaneously charging a plurality of
rechargeable batteries.
[0040] Some embodiments of the present disclosure are described in
detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The
features of the embodiments and examples described below may be
combined with each other without conflict.
[0041] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, according to certain embodiments of
the present disclosure, a charging dock 1 for charging one or more
rechargeable batteries 2 is provided. In certain embodiments, the
rechargeable battery 2 may be used on a mobile device such as an
unmanned aerial vehicle (not shown). An unmanned aerial vehicle
(UAV) may be equipped with multiple rechargeable batteries. When a
rechargeable battery is exhausted, it may be replaced by a fully
charged spare rechargeable battery in time to increase the
navigation time of the UAV. The charging dock 1 and the plurality
of rechargeable batteries 2 may be combined into a charging
assembly 3.
[0042] In certain embodiments, the charging dock 1 may include a
main body 10, a plurality of cover plates 25, and a charging unit
30. The charging unit 30 may be configured in the main body 10
(referring to FIG. 9).
[0043] The main body 10 may be substantially cylindrical. The
plurality of cover plates 25 may be distributed on the outer
surface of the main body 10. In certain embodiments, the number of
the cover plates 25 may be four, and the four cover plates 25 may
be arranged in an annular array around the main body 10. Therefore,
the charging dock 1 may simultaneously charge four rechargeable
batteries 2.
[0044] In certain embodiments, optionally, one of the four cover
plates 25 may be in an open configuration to charge one of the
rechargeable batteries 2. Optionally, two of the four cover plates
25 may be in an open configuration to charge two of the
rechargeable batteries 2. Optionally, three of the four cover
plates 25 may be in an open configuration to charge three of the
rechargeable batteries 2. Or, the four cover plates 25 may all be
in an open configuration to charge the four rechargeable batteries
simultaneously. Further, when less than four of the rechargeable
batteries 2 need to be charged, the four cover plates 25 may all be
in an open configuration.
[0045] The outer shape of the main body 10 is not limited to a
circular cylindrical shape. It may be, for example, a rectangular
cylinder, a square cylinder, or other polygonal cylinders in
certain other embodiments. The number of cover plates 25 is not
limited to four. There may be one, two, three, five, six, etc.,
cover plates, and the number may be adjusted according to a
specific design. As an example, according to the following
embodiments described herein, the charging dock 1 includes four
cover plates 25. Charging docks having different numbers of cover
plates 25 may have similar structures and are not described in
detail one by one.
[0046] Also referring to FIGS. 4-6, according to certain
embodiments, the main body 10 may include a top end 11, a bottom
end 12, receiving slots 13 and connecting walls 14. There may be a
plurality of receiving slots 13 located between the top end 11 and
the bottom end 12. Each connecting wall 14 may connect two adjacent
receiving slots 13.
[0047] Each of the receiving slots 13 may correspond to one of the
cover plates 25. Therefore, the receiving slots 13 may also be
arranged in an annular array on the outer side of the main body 10.
Each of the receiving slots 13 may be surrounded by a bottom wall
15, side walls 16 on two sides of the bottom wall 15, the top end
11, and the bottom end 12 of the main body 10. The two side walls
16 may be oppositely configured.
[0048] Each cover plate 25 may be configured corresponding to one
of the receiving slots 13 of the main body 10. One end of a cover
plate 25 may be movably coupled to the main body 10. The movable
connecting mechanism of the cover plate 25 and the main body 10 may
be a rotary connection, a sliding connection, or the like. In
certain embodiments described herein, the cover plate 25 is
rotatably coupled to the main body 10.
[0049] Specifically, a bottom end of each cover plate 25 may be
rotatably coupled to the bottom end 12 of the main body 10. When a
cover plate 25 is in an open configuration, the cover plate 25 may
be turned downwards from the top end 11 of the main body 10 and
open outwards. The cover plate 25 may be used to carry a
rechargeable battery 2. In certain embodiments described herein,
each of the cover plates 25 may be movably coupled to the main body
10 by a lock mechanism 20.
[0050] To switch a cover plate 25 from a closed configuration to an
open configuration, the lock mechanism 20 may be unlocked and the
cover plate 25 may be turned in a direction away from the main body
10. Further, in certain embodiments, the angle of rotation of the
cover plate 25 may be approximately 90.degree.. That is, when the
cover plate 25 is locked on the main body 10 (as shown in FIG. 1),
the cover plate 25 is in a vertical state; when the cover plate 25
is unlocked and turned over by 90.degree., the cover plate 25 is in
a horizontal state where the bottom end of the cover plate 25 is
held at the bottom end 12 of the main body 10. When the four cover
plates 25 are all turned into the open configuration, the four
cover plates 25 may be located on a same plane, and the four cover
plates 25 may function to support and stabilize the charging dock
1.
[0051] The lock mechanism 20 may be fixed on the main body 10. The
lock mechanism 20 may be implemented with a hook mechanism, a latch
mechanism, an electromagnetic attraction mechanism or other
mechanisms with interlocking functions. In certain embodiments
described herein, the lock mechanism 20 may be a hook mechanism
that includes a pressing member 22, a latch member 23, and a
resilient member 24. The pressing member 22 may be mounted on the
top end 11 of the main body 10. The latch member 23 may be coupled
to the pressing member 22. And the resilient member 24 may abut
against the latch member 23 and the main body 10. When the pressing
member 22 is pressed, the latch member 23 may move in the pressing
direction and compress the resilient member 24.
[0052] In certain embodiments, the pressing member 22 may include a
push button 221 and a connecting post 222. The connecting post 222
may extend perpendicularly from the push button. In certain
embodiments, the push button 221 may be an arc-shaped strip forming
a convex button in the middle to facilitate pressing and having a
good pressing feel. There may be two connecting posts 222, and each
connecting post 222 may extend vertically downward from one end of
the push button 221 for connecting the latch member 23.
[0053] The latch member 23 may include a latch main body 231 and a
first hook 232. The first hook 232 may be formed on a side surface
of the latch main body 231. The cover plate 25 may be configured
with a second hook 251. The second hook 251 may be located on a
side surface of the cover plate 25 and corresponds to the first
hook 232 of the lock mechanism 20.
[0054] In certain embodiments, the first hook 232 may be
substantially J-shaped, and include a first barrier bar 2321, a
second barrier bar 2322, and a connecting bar 2323 between the
first barrier bar 2321 and the second barrier bar. The first
barrier bar 2321 may be parallel to the second barrier bar 2322 and
near a corresponding connecting wall 14. A height of the first
barrier bar 2321 may be less than a height of the second barrier
bar 2322. The first barrier bar 2321 may be configured to engage
the second hook 251. And the second barrier bar 2322 may be
configured to prevent the second hook 251 from being engaged
excessively.
[0055] Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, in certain embodiments, the
second hook 251 may be a hook-shaped structure with a chamfer. The
second hook 251 has an outer shape. The outer shape includes a top
end and an edge. The chamfer is formed at the top end and the edge
of the second hook 251. Because of the chamfer, the outer shape of
the second hook 251 can be smooth.
[0056] When the cover plate 25 needs to be locked to the main body
10, the cover plate 25 may be rotated from the horizontal state to
the vertical state. The second hook 251 may first contact the first
barrier bar 2321 of the first hook 232. Since the second hook 251
has a chamfer feature, when the cover plate 25 continues to rotate,
the second hook 251 pushes the first barrier bar 2321 of the first
hook 232 downward along the chamfer. The first barrier bar 2321 is
pushed downward to further push the latch member 23 downward, and
the resilient member 24 is compressed until the chamfer of the
second hook 251 completely slides over the first barrier bar 2321.
The second hook 251 is then engaged between the first barrier bar
2321 and the second barrier bar 2322 to lock the cover plate 25 to
the main body 10. Since the height of the second barrier bar 2322
is greater than the height of the first barrier bar 2321, if the
cover plate 25 is continuously rotated, the second barrier bar 2322
will abut against the second hook 251 in the direction in which the
cover plate 25 rotates to prevent the cover plate 25 from being
excessively rotated.
[0057] The latch member 23 may further include a first cylinder 233
and a second cylinder 234. The first cylinder 233 and the second
cylinder 234 may protrude from opposite ends of the latch main body
231 in opposite directions. The connecting post 222 of the pressing
member 22 may have a connecting hole 223. The first cylinder 233
may be inserted into the connecting hole 223, and the second
cylinder 234 may be connected to the resilient member 24. Further,
the top end 11 of the main body 10 may have a mounting hole 111
corresponding to each second cylinder 234 for inserting the second
cylinder 234, thereby connecting the lock mechanism 20 to the main
body 10.
[0058] It may be understood that the latch member 23 may be
integrally formed with the pressing member 22 without assembling
between the two. That is, the first cylinder 233 of the latch
member 23 may directly form an integral structure with the
connecting post 222 of the pressing member 22 without assembling
between the two.
[0059] The resilient member 24 may be a spring. The spring may be
sleeved on the second cylinder 234 and received in the mounting
hole 111 together with the second cylinder 234, so that the spring
may abut against the latch main body 231 of the latch member 23 and
the interior of the mounting hole 111 of the main body 10. When the
cover plate 25 is in a closed configuration and the pressing member
22 is pressed, the first hook 232 and second hook 251 may be
separated and the resilient member 24 may be compressed. When the
pressure on the pressing member 22 is withdrawn, the first hook 232
may be returned to an original position by the restoring force of
the resilient member 24.
[0060] A through hole 161 may be configured in one of the opposite
side walls 16 of the main body 10. When the lock mechanism 20 is
installed on the main body 10, the first hook 232 may protrude from
the through hole 161 to lock with the second hook 251 of the cover
plate 25. The through hole 161 functions to limit the position of
the first hook 232, so that the lock mechanism 20 is installed on
the main body 10.
[0061] In certain other embodiments, the position of first hook 232
of the lock mechanism 20 may not be limited to the side wall 16 of
the main body 10. Instead, it may be at the top end 11 of the main
body 10. Correspondingly, the second hook 251 is not limited to be
positioned on a side of the cover plate 25, but may be configured
at a top end of the cover plate 25 to be engaged with the first
hook 232.
[0062] Referring to FIG. 9, in certain embodiments, the charging
unit 30 may be installed in the main body 10. The charging unit 30
may include a mainboard 31, a frame 32, charging plates 33, and
battery sockets 35. The frame 32 may be a hollow structure, and the
mainboard 31 may be mounted on the frame 32. The charging plates 33
may be attached to the outer surface of the frame 32 and
electrically connected to the mainboard 31. The number and position
of the charging plates 33 may be the same as the number and
position of the cover plates 25. In certain embodiments described
herein, the number of the charging plates 33 is four, and the frame
32 is a hollow rectangular cylinder. The four charging plates 33
may be attached to the four outer surfaces of the frame 32. A
battery socket 35 may be configured on each of the charging plates
33, and electrically connected to the mainboard 31 through the
charging plate 33.
[0063] The battery socket 35 may be configured facing away from the
frame 32, and the bottom wall 15 of the main body 10 may be
provided with a through slot 151. When the charging unit 30 is
installed in the main body 10, the battery socket 35 may be
configured through the through slot 151 to protrude into each of
the receiving slots 13 of the main body 10 for the rechargeable
battery 2 to plug in.
[0064] In certain embodiments, each cover plate 25 may include a
groove 253. When the cover plate 25 is in the closed configuration,
the groove 253 is configured to receive the battery socket
corresponding to the cover plate.
[0065] In certain embodiments, the frame 32 may be omitted, and the
four charging plates 33 may be sequentially and directly connected,
thus forming a structure similar to the frame 32.
[0066] Each of the charging plates 33 may be electrically connected
to the mainboard 31 through a connector 34. The connector 34 may
include a positive end 341 and a negative end 342. The positive end
341 may be electrically connected to one end of the mainboard 31,
and the negative end 342 may be electrically connected to another
end of the mainboard 31. One end of the charging plate 33 may be
electrically connected to the positive end 341, and another end of
the charging plate 33 may be electrically connected to the negative
end 342.
[0067] In certain embodiments, the plurality of charging plates 33
may each correspond to a separate positive end and a negative end.
In certain embodiments described herein, the four charging plates
33 may share one positive end 341 and one negative end 342. The
positive end 341 and the negative end 342 may be electrically
conductive metal ring structures, and may be copper rings in
certain embodiments. Each copper ring may be fixed to one end of
the mainboard 31 and electrically connected to the mainboard 31.
Each of the four charging plates 33 may be connected between the
two copper rings and electrically connected to the two copper
rings, thereby connecting the four charging plates 33 to the
mainboard 31 in parallel.
[0068] A power input interface 17 may be configured on the top end
11 of the main body 10. The power input interface 17 may be
electrically connected to the charging unit 30 installed in the
main body 10 for connecting an external power source to the
charging dock 1. Thereby, the rechargeable batteries 2 connected to
the charging dock 1 may be charged. One of the two ends of the
mainboard 31 may be electrically connected to the power input
interface 17 of the top end 11 of the main body 10. Indicator
lights 19 may be further configured on the top end 11 of the main
body 10. In certain embodiments, the number of the indicator lights
19 is four, and indicator lights 19 may be evenly distributed
around the power input interface 17.
[0069] A USB interface 18 may be configured on the bottom end 12 of
the main body 10. The USB interface 18 may be electrically
connected to the charging unit 30 of main body 10 for expanding the
functionality of the charging dock 1. The other end of the
mainboard 31 may be electrically connected to the USB interface 18
of the bottom end 12 of the main body 10.
[0070] When the charging dock 1 is not in use, it may be in a
closed configuration. That is, the lock mechanism 20 of each cover
plate 25 locks the cover plate 25 onto the main body 10. In this
configuration, the first hook 232 of the latch member 23 and the
second hook 251 of the cover plate 25 are engaged with each other,
and the cover plate 25 covers the battery socket 35. Thus, the main
body 10 and the cover plates 25 together form a cylindrical
structure. In this configuration, the charging dock 1 has a compact
size and may be conveniently carried and transported.
[0071] When it is necessary to charge one or more of the
rechargeable batteries 2, a corresponding number of the cover
plates 25 in the charging dock 1 may be switched from the closed
configuration to the open configuration. That is, the lock
mechanism 20 is pressed, the first hook 232 of the latch member 23
is separated from the second hook 251 of the cover plate 25. The
cover plate 25 may be rotated from its vertical state to the
horizontal state. In this configuration, the battery socket 35 is
exposed from the cover plate 25. Thus, the rechargeable battery 2
may be placed on the cover plate 25 and inserted into the battery
socket 35 to be charged.
[0072] The rechargeable battery 2 may be further configured with a
connecting member 41. When the rechargeable battery 2 is being
charged on the cover plate 25, the connecting member 41 may be
locked with the charging dock 1 to lock its position on the cover
plate 25, thus preventing the rechargeable battery 2 from slipping
off.
[0073] In certain embodiments described herein, the structure of
the connecting member 41 may be substantially the same as the
structure of the second hook 251 on the cover plate 25. The
connecting member 41 may be located at one side of the rechargeable
battery 2 and corresponds to the first hook 232 of the lock
mechanism 20. The connecting member 41 may be a hook-like structure
having a chamfer feature.
[0074] The rechargeable battery 2 may further be configured with a
guiding member 42. The cover plate 25 may be further configured
with an orienting member 252. The guiding member 42 and the
orienting member 252 may be coordinated to guide the rechargeable
battery 2 when rechargeable battery 2 is being mounted on the cover
plate 25. In certain embodiments described herein, the orienting
member 252 may be configured on an inner surface of the cover plate
25, and the guiding member 42 may be configured on an outer surface
of the rechargeable battery 2. The orienting member 252 may be a
ridge structure along a longitudinal direction of the cover plate
25. The guiding member 42 may be a groove structure extending along
a longitudinal direction of the rechargeable battery 2. The
orienting member 252 may be housed in the guiding member 42 to
guide the rechargeable battery 2 during the process in which the
rechargeable battery 2 is being mounted in the cover plate 25.
[0075] It may be understood that the ridge structure and the groove
structure of the guiding member 42 of the rechargeable battery 2
and the orienting member 252 of the cover plate 25 may be
interchanged, and the guiding effect may be similarly achieved.
[0076] When a rechargeable battery 2 needs to be installed on the
cover plate 25 for charging, the charging dock 1 may be switched to
an open configuration. The rechargeable battery 2 may be placed on
the cover plate 25. The orienting member 252 of the cover plate 25
and the guiding member 42 of the rechargeable battery 2 may be
coordinated to guide the rechargeable battery 2 toward the battery
socket 35. The connecting member 41 may first contact the first
barrier bar 2321 of first hook 232. Since the connecting member 41
has a chamfer, as a charging interface of rechargeable battery 2 is
engaging with the battery socket 35, the chamfer of the connecting
member 41 pushes the first barrier bar 2321 of the first hook 232
downward, thereby pushing the latch member 23 downward. The
resilient member 24 is compressed, until the connecting member 41
is completely slid over the first barrier bar 2321. Then, the
connecting member 41 is engaged between the first barrier bar 2321
and the second barrier bar 2322 to lock the rechargeable battery 2
on the main body 10.
[0077] The charging dock according to the embodiments of the
present disclosure has a plurality of cover plates capable of
carrying charging batteries. Further, the cover plate may be
switched between a closed configuration and an open configuration,
so that the charging dock is not only configured to charge multiple
rechargeable batteries simultaneously, but also is configured to
close the cover plates when it is not used, reducing the size of
the charging dock and facilitating carrying and transportation of
the charging dock.
[0078] It may be understood that the charging dock is not limited
to charging rechargeable batteries used for UAVs. It may also be
applied to other mobile devices or remote-control mobile devices
such as unmanned vehicles, unmanned boats, and so on. The present
disclosure does not describe each application scenario in
detail.
[0079] The forgoing embodiments are only used to illustrate the
technical solutions of the present disclosure, and are not intended
to be limiting. Although the present disclosure describes the
technical solutions in detail with reference to the preferred
embodiments, those skilled in the art may also make other
variations and/or exchange certain components without deviating
from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present
disclosure. All changes made in accordance with the spirit of the
present disclosure are intended to be included within the scope of
the present disclosure.
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